| Course | FIN 250 Personal Financial Planning |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 1 |
| Paper type | undergraduate discussion post on setting personal financial goals |
| Length | About 410 words, 3 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Southern New Hampshire University |
| Program | AS in Finance |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for FIN 250 Module 1
Module One Discussion
From "Get Ahead" to Six Goals With Dates
For this term I am using a composite couple modeled on people I know. Kayla Dunbar, 32, is a dental hygienist earning $74,000; Marcus, 34, is an HVAC service technician earning $61,000. They rent a two-bedroom apartment in Spokane Valley, Washington, for $1,750 a month, and their first child is due in April. Between student loans, a truck loan, a credit card and a furniture store plan they owe about $82,800, and they have $4,100 in savings. Asked what they want, they said, "We want to get ahead before the baby comes." That is a real feeling but not yet a goal, because nobody could say on a given day whether it had been reached.
Rewritten, the wish becomes six goals. First, build a $5,000 starter emergency fund by April 1, so a car repair during Kayla's leave does not land on the card. Second, pay the $1,800 furniture balance before its no-interest promotion ends in July; if any balance remains then, the store can charge interest back to the purchase date. Third, clear the $7,600 credit card, which charges 24.99 percent, by June 2027. Fourth, enroll Marcus this month in his employer's SIMPLE IRA at 3 percent, because the employer matches it and he has been leaving about $1,830 a year unclaimed. Fifth, save $30,000 toward a house by 2030. Sixth, open a college account for the baby with $50 a month.
The order follows cost and urgency. The first four protect against expensive surprises or capture money that is lost if ignored; the last two can grow slowly. That matters because this couple is not unusual: in the Federal Reserve's most recent survey, 63 percent of adults said they would cover an unexpected $400 expense with cash or its equivalent, leaving more than a third who would borrow, sell something or could not pay (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2024). Lusardi and Mitchell (2014) link basic financial knowledge to planning and saving, and the habit of naming a number is where that planning starts. Netemeyer et al. (2018) also found that people's sense of financial well-being depends heavily on feeling in control of their money, which dated goals help provide.
For classmates: pick one money goal you have said out loud recently. What amount and what date would make it a goal you could check, and what would it cost you if it slipped by a year?
References
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. (2024). Economic well-being of U.S. households in 2023. https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/files/2023-report-economic-well-being-us-households-202405.pdf
Lusardi, A., & Mitchell, O. S. (2014). The economic importance of financial literacy: Theory and evidence. Journal of Economic Literature, 52(1), 5-44. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.52.1.5
Netemeyer, R. G., Warmath, D., Fernandes, D., & Lynch, J. G. (2018). How am I doing? Perceived financial well-being, its potential antecedents, and its relation to overall well-being. Journal of Consumer Research, 45(1), 68-89. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucx109
What the FIN 250 Module 1 instructions ask for
The first FIN 250 discussion usually asks you to describe your financial goals or the goals of a sample household and to explain how values and life stage shape them. Some prompts ask you to apply the SMART approach or to separate short-term, medium-term and long-term goals. A strong post starts from a real or realistic situation, states each goal with an amount and a date, and explains why one goal comes before another. Avoid listing generic goals such as "save more" or "invest for retirement" without numbers, and remember to reply to classmates with something more useful than agreement. Check whether the prompt asks for your own goals or a case household, and whether it wants a particular number of goals or time horizons.
How this FIN 250 Module 1 discussion example is built
The post follows Kayla and Marcus Dunbar, a dental hygienist and an HVAC technician in Spokane Valley who earn $135,000 between them, rent an apartment and expect their first child in April. They owe about $82,800 and have $4,100 in savings. Their wish to "get ahead" becomes six goals: $5,000 of emergency savings by April 1, a $1,800 furniture balance paid before its promotion ends in July, a $7,600 card cleared by mid-2027, Marcus enrolled for his employer's 3 percent match this month, $30,000 saved for a house by 2030 and $50 a month for the baby's college account. Each goal is ranked by what a delay would cost, so the furniture deadline and the missed match come ahead of the house fund.
Where the FIN 250 Module 1 rubric puts the points
Instructors grading this discussion tend to weigh how specific the goals are, the link between goals and values or life stage, the reasoning behind priorities, use of course concepts and replies to peers. Posts that score well give every goal an amount and a deadline, show the trade-offs between goals and use one or two sources to support the order. Posts lose points for vague goals, for ignoring the household's real constraints, for lists without priorities and for short replies that add nothing to a classmate's thinking. Some rubrics also give credit for linking goals to the household's values, such as wanting one parent home longer after the birth.
FIN 250 Module 1 help: the mistakes that cost points
Many students write goals that are really wishes. Test each one by asking how you would know on a given date whether it had been met; if you cannot answer, add a number and a deadline. Rank goals by what happens if each one slips, since a promotional deadline or a missed employer match costs money right away while a house fund can wait. Keep the post personal but avoid sharing private account details. In replies, help a classmate sharpen one goal rather than just praising it. When you reply, offer a specific number or date that would make a classmate's goal checkable, and explain briefly why you chose it.
Get FIN 250 Module 1 written to your instructions
Share the FIN 250 Module 1 prompt with us. Your post will turn a household's wishes into dated, measured goals, rank them with reasons and end on a question for classmates. Ready in about two days; the first post costs nothing. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Southern New Hampshire University document.
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FIN 250 Module 1 questions, answered
Where can I find a free FIN 250 Module 1 Discussion sample?
This page includes the full FIN 250 Module 1 post turning one couple's money wishes into six specific goals.
What is a SMART financial goal?
One that names an exact amount, can be tracked, is realistic for the household, fits its priorities and carries a deadline, such as $5,000 of emergency savings by April 1 instead of simply saving more.
How should financial goals be prioritized?
Usually by urgency and cost: protect against emergencies, capture free employer money and avoid high-interest charges first, then work toward longer-term goals such as a home or retirement.
What is the difference between short-term and long-term financial goals?
Short-term goals are usually reached within a year, such as an emergency fund, while long-term goals take five years or more, such as retirement or a child's education.
Why do values matter in financial planning?
Because goals reflect what a household cares about most, and a plan that ignores those priorities is unlikely to be followed.